The ultimate legacy of a CCI should be long-term sustainable change, and there’s no question that many lives have been transformed by participation in these efforts. New affordable housing has been built, new services have been provided to enhance child development and family stability, new neighborhood associations have been formed, and countless individuals have become engaged as advocates for change in their communities, just to cite a few examples.

There have been few long-term follow-up studies to determine what remains changed after a CCI has run its course. I suspect that often the most important outcomes are in the changed life trajectories of young people and others who have been involved in training, organizing, and other capacity building work. While it can be particularly difficult to sustain new organizations created by a CCI, some have clearly taken root and, in entrepreneurial fashion, have continued to survive by drawing on volunteer energy and by attracting new sources of funding.

What has been learned is that CCI activities are most likely to be sustained if they are owned by communities from the start (rather than being perceived as owned by the foundation). Capacity building efforts that engage residents in decision making and leadership roles and build a sense of self efficacy are an important part of that process. Also key are investments in building the adaptive capacity of local institutions and other aspects of the social infrastructure. It’s important to not just strengthen them as service providers but as organizations strongly tied to their communities that are capable of acting in a nimble and entrepreneurial fashion as inevitable changes occur in the local landscape.

Finally, sustainability depends on building a community’s capacity for effective advocacy. Not everyone has the aptitude for this work. But it is essential to enhance neighborhood ties with public sector resources and existing civic infrastructure, as well as connections to elected officials, by demonstrating and exercising political power. Deep knowledge of public funding streams is another important factor in capturing untapped dollars to support the continuation of local change work.

Tom David